Fine Art/Reeks water color

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Expert: Dan Twyman - 9/19/2007

QuestionI've got two water color prints of scenes in New Orleans.
6"x 8" Initials are J.R.in ink, signed in pencil "Reeks" and I can only find info on Harry D. Reeks. Did Harry have children or are these prints from a father? Any help would be appreciated.

AnswerI am not sure why you gave me negative comments. This is a free service and I answered questions about an artist I have not had any experience with in the past. I found a few books that list the artist and I checked a resource I use online to obtain info. Please keep in mind, art consultants charge money to do research regardless of the outcome. I asked for nothing in returna nd got a negative comment. This makes no sense? I got back to you right away and you gave me a low rating on my response time? What are your motives for this?

HARRY DEL REEKS (1920-1982)

Harry D. Reeks was born on May 23, 1920 at Covington, Louisiana. He studied with Jose Mass, a Spanish artist, in New Orleans, and his father, John F. Reeks, who was also an artist and sculptor. Reeks also worked with Horace Russ and Charles Reinike of the old Arts and Crafts Academy in New Orleans as well as the California School of Fine Arts.(The Daily Herald, August 21, 1971, p. 2)

During WW II, Harry D. Reeks was a Marine combat artist in the South Pacific landing on Georgia, Bougainville, Guam, and Saipan in the Solomon and Treasury Island groups. At Iwo Jima, he was twice wounded. Some of Reeks works of this period are in permanent collections at the US Marine training base on Parris Island, South Carolina and at Brown University in the Anne S.K. Brown Military Collection.(Chloe B. Reeks, January 23, 1994 and January 18, 2000)

Harry D. Reeks met and married Chloe Baker, a Marine reservist, in Hawaii. They lived in California and Texas before settling at Biloxi in 1954. Harry was employed in public relations at Gulf Hills during Elvis Presley’s sojourn there and did interviews with “The King”. He also worked as a portrait artist in the Branigar Brother’s resort. During this period, Reeks became a licensed realtor while at Gulf Hills working for Scott McCole. Reeks later formed his own company, Gulf Beach Realty Company, which was office on Desoto Avenue in the Blossman addition of 1967.(Chloe B. Reeks, January 18, 2000 and The Ocean Springs Record, August 10, 1967, p. 10)

The real estate business brought Harry Reeks into contact with Spurgeon Pickering (1893-1964), a land speculator from Crystal Springs, Mississippi, who acquired Gulf Park Estates, a speculative land development east of Ocean Springs, from Joe Jones. Harry designed and supervised the construction of Gulf Park Estates and was its first manager.(J.K. Lemon, August 1995 and The Sun Herald, January 17, 1982)

In the 1960s, Harry D. Reeks became enamored with sculpture. His works are well represented on the Mississippi Gulf Coast and elsewhere: Mary and Joseph and St Anthony at St. Michael’s Catholic Church in Biloxi (pre-1969); the Sam Dale Monument at Daleville, Lauderdale County, Mississippi (1968); the Crown of Glory at St. John’s Catholic Church in Biloxi (pre-1974); the Golden Fisherman in Biloxi (1977); and Our Lady of Guadeloupe at Pass Christian.

Notice the references to John Reeks, Harry's Father who was also an artist.

Seems that much more in depth research needs to be done.

Dan

Questioner's Rating

Rating(1-10)

Knowledgeability = 5

Clarity of Response = 5

Politeness = 2

Comment

Thanks for the prompt response. Seems as though these prints were by the father Reeks. Thanks again.

Dan Twyman

Expertise

I can answer questions about Salvador Dali. While I cannot do FREE APPRAISALS, I might be able to help you sell your works. I can also help with Chagall, Miro, Picasso and other 20th Century Masters.

Questions about a type of art or medium can be answered with one response in most cases. Technical issues are easier to deal with than specifics about an artist. If you need help finding values or history on an artist, it will probably involve research that can sometimes take hours to complete. If you have more than one image to send, I will give you an alternate email address as this system cannot handle multiple images.

Experience

Late 70's early 80's Worked for a printer and learned the art or Lithography.
Early to mid 80's Managed a publishing company that produced fine art both living and reproductions of the masters.
Mid 80's to 2003 Senior Art Consultant with well known broker of Dali, Picasso, Miro, Chagall,Vargas,Max,Warhol and others.
2004 - 2005 Independent Art Consultant.
2005-2006 Beverly Hills Art Gallery(Living Artists)
2006 - Present Salvador Dali Society. Senior Art Consultant.